Our mission is to support the Ingram Independent School District’s new Building Trades program to empower high school students with skills in the building trades through real-world construction projects, restore pride in building tradeswork, and reinvigorate the local building industry.
Restoring Pride in Skilled Trades
This project was created by students in the High School Building Trades program
High schools around the Texas Hill Country have begun to implement their own projects modeled after Casa Über Alles and have accomplished similar goals.
One of the key factors of success is community involvement. Building professionals from the local area provide important guidance and instruction in a real-world setting. These mentors donate their time and resources to invest in the next generation of builders and blue collar workers.
The Building Trades program is led by the Ingram School District and staffed by a full-time, salaried instructor with decades of hands-on construction experience. Students learn directly from a professional who’s spent years in the field, not just in the classroom.
Alongside the instructor, local volunteers from the building industry regularly step in to share their expertise—helping guide students through real-world challenges and giving them a deeper look at what it takes to succeed in the trades.
When Texas Building Supply donated another round of lumber to the Ingram Tom Moore High School Building Trades program, instructor Bruce Jenschke looked happily over the yard and thanked General Manager Hilton Ayala for the support. The longtime Kerrville lumber company has been a steady supporter of the program.
We talk about this all the time, about the need for younger people to get into the trades.
– Hilton Ayala
Ingram Warrior Homes Inc. received a generous $10,000 grant from the U.S. LBM Foundation to help grow the Ingram Independent School District’s latest workforce training effort.
The corporate side of US LBM owns building supply companies nationwide, including Kerr County’s Texas Building Supply, which helped facilitate the grant through the foundation.
At U.S. LBM, we believe that being a good neighbor means giving back to the communities we serve. We created The U.S. LBM Foundation to partner with and support organizations that help our communities grow and prosper. The dollars donated by The U.S. LBM Foundation include contributions from U.S. LBM, our vendors, customers, and associates.
Jenschke said he’s thrilled to lead Ingram ISD’s program, teaching 37 Ingram Tom Moore students construction.
One of the first Warrior Homes projects involves learning to plan for a building site, reading blueprints, and taking measurements.
A lot of the kids ask when are we going to start building the house. I told them as soon as we learn all of the basics
Ingram Warrior Homes Inc. will use the grant money to purchase tool belts and other equipment for the students in the program, which involves learning construction trades and building a 600-square-foot house.
Ingram ISD Trustee Steve Schulte worked with Texas Building Supply General Manager Hilton Ayala to help facilitate the grant.
This money will go a long way towards developing this program. We aim to, each year, turn out several well-qualified, workforce-ready skilled workers. The kids are so excited about what they are learning and the exceptional careers ahead of them. It’s a true win-win scenario. With generous help like this, we can provide a worthwhile, well-rounded experience for our amazing kids. This community is amazing!
We’re proud to support a program that gives students real-world skills, meaningful mentorship, and a strong foundation for future careers. It’s an honor to play a small part in something that builds homes, community, and confidence.
Board of Directors
President – Steve Schulte; MacDonald Companies, Inc.
Vice President – Justin MacDonald; MacDonald Companies, Inc.
Secretary – Molly Adams; Security State Bank & Trust
Treasurer – Eileen Parsons; Vista Verde Builders
Members
George Hager – Hager Custom Homes
Craig Lenard – Art Lenard & Sons Homes
Steve Huser – T. J. Moore Lumber
Ex Officio Members
Mindy Curran – Assistant Superintendent, Ingram I.S.D.
Other
Brandie Guzman – Principal, Ingram Tom Moore High School
Philip Stacy – Building Trades Instructor, Ingram Tom Moore High School
Robert Templeton – Superintendent, Ingram I.S.D.